Misthreading device for weft-replenishing looms



R. CROMPTON AND W. E. WOODMAN. MISTHREADING DEVICE FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS.

r APPLICATION FILED MAY 26.1919. 1 40 171 r I Patented-Feb. 28, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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if 1M R. CROMPTON AND W. E. WOODMAN. MISTHREADING DEVICE FOR WEFT BEPLENISHING LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY26,1919.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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M M/r R. CROMPTON AND W. E. WOODMAN. MISTHREADING DEVICE FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1919.

1,408,171 Patented Feb. 28, 1922. v

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Rvenl'ovs.

R. CROMPTON AND W. E. WOODMAN.

NHSTHREADING DEVICE FOR WEFT BEPLENISHING LOOMS.

APHICATION FILED MAY 26, 1919.

1 ,408, 1 7 1 Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4- UNITED STATES RANDOLPH CROMPTON AND WILLIAM: E. WOODMAN, OF WORCESTER, LMASSAOHUSETTS;

PATENT OFFICE.

SAID \VOODMAN A SSIGNOR IO SAID CROMPTON.

MISTHREADING DEVICE F611- Application filed May as,

To all whom. it may concern:

' Be it known that we, RANnoLm-I CnorirroN and WILLIAiii E. Woonrnrn, both of lVorcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, both citizens of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Misthreadin. Device for \Veft-Replenishing Looms, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings,.is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improvement in misthreading devices for automatic weft replenishing looms. Automatic weft replenishing looms, as ordinarily constructed, are provided at one side with a weft replenishing mechanism, and on the opposite side with weft or filling detecting devices. Vhen' the filling in the active shuttle becomes exhausted or broken, absence of filling is indicated by the detecting device on the next detecting beat of the lay, and on the following or nondetecting beat of the lay a fresh supply of filling is inserted into the shuttle from the magazine of the weft replenishing mechanism. Various filling detecting devices have been employed to either stop the loom upon the detection of filling absence in the shuttle, or to permit the filling in the shuttle to be replenished several times before stopping the loom, since it is known that several successive hopper misthreads may be permitted without seriously impairing the quality of the cloth being woven. 7

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel form of filling detectingdevice which permits several successive misthreads to take place before stopping the loom.

ldlisthreading devices of the above do scribed character as heretofore constructed, have usually comprised various instrumentalities carried on the top of the breast beam and adapted to actuate the knock-off lover of the loom upon the occurrenceof one or of several misthreads. The arrangement of the moving parts of the device upon the top of the breast beam leaves them subject to accidental engagement with external objects which might result in their disarrangement or in prematurestoppage of the loom,

particularly since the knock-off lever is usually provided with a portion projecting above the'top of the breast beam.

By our invention we propose to entirely Specification of Letters Patent.

VfEET-REPLE-NiSI-IING LOOMS.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

1919. Serial No. 299,978.

reorganize the arrangement of parts in a misthreading device so that the parts which are adapted to actuate the lrnoclcoif lever are located at the end of the loom and below the top of the breast beam. We further provide an arrangement of parts in which the member adapted to cause actuation of the knockoff lever is held in an inoperative position by the force of gravity, so that the chances of accidental operation thereof are reduced to a minimum.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the left hand end portion a loom snoing the applh cation of my improved misthreading device thereto.

Figure 2 is shown in Fig. 1. v

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 4,- is asectional view along the line l t, Fig. 1. 7

Figures 5 and 6 are detail views along the line 55, Fig. 1, showing the parts in different operating positions.

Figure 7 is a view of a portion of the parts shown in Fig. 1, showing the position which they occupy during the normal operation of the loom.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the position of the parts upon the detection of filling absence.

Figures 9 and 10 are fragmentary views showingthe position of aportion of the parts following the detection of two successive filling absences.

Figure 11 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing the position of the parts following the detection of three successive absences and upon actuation of the knock-oft lever.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in the different figures,

Theloom to which the improved misthreading device is attached, and in which only the left hand end portion is shown, may be of any usual preferred form. The general parts of the loom shown comprise a breast beam 1, a lrnoclr-ofiE-lever 2, a weft hammer 3, adapted for reciprocatory motion backward and forward once to every two forward beats of the lay, not shown, and a rocker shaft 4 extending longitudinally of the loom and suit-ably connected to the weft replenishing mechanism, all as shown in Fig. 2.

A filling or detector fork 5 is pivotally a side elevation of the parts supported one end of a detector slide 6 that is slidably mounted in a bracket 7. As best shown in F 4. the slide is provided at its other end with an eye bolt 8 that is adapted to receive the hooked portion 9 of a detector arm 10 carried by the rocker shaft 4. The weft hammer 3 is provided with a forked arm 11 extending beneath the detector slide 6 and provided at its end wlth a barb 12 that is adapted to engage the tail of the detector fork 55 when the detector fork is d pressed upon the filling ab sence. l v hen the barb 12 engages of the detector fork 5, as shown in Fig. 2, the slide 8 is pushed forms-d thereby causi the detector arm 10 to turn the rocker shift and set in operation the weft re pienishing mechanism. The rocker shaft 4 is furtherprovided with a knock-off arm that adapted. to move toward the knockoff lever 2 when the shaft 4 is turned as described above. The motion of the arm 14. is not suliicient to move the lmoclZ-ofiE lever 2 and trier by stop the loom until the knockoff actuaton is interposed between the arm 14 and the lever 2, as shown in'dotted lines, llig. 2. The. knockoff actuator 15 forms part of the filling detecting mechanism which will now be lescribed.

The hooked portion 9 of the detector arm 10 is embraced by the bifurcated portion of lever 18 that is pivotally connected to a link 17 carried at one end of a shaft 18 mounted on the breast beam 1. The other end of the shaft 18 projects beyond the end of the breast beam '1 and carries a link 19 that is connected to a sliding pawl 20 by means of a curved lever 21. The pawl 20 is pivotally supported by a stud 22 and is provided with a slot 23 so that it is capable of longitudinal movement with respect to the stud 22. :1 spring 24 connected between the top of the pawl 20 and the breast beam 1 tends to maintain the pawl in its upper position, with the lower end of'the slot 23 in engagement with the stud 22. The stud 22 is carried by a bracket 25 that is slidably mounted upon an upwardly extending rod 26, the bracket- 25 being provided with a set screw 27 by means of which it may be clamped in different positions with respect to the rod26.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the actuator 15 comprises an L-shaped head 15 and is secured to an arm 28 by means of a set screw 29. The actuator 15 is provided with a slot 30 by means of which itsposition with respect to the arm 28 may be adjusted. The arm 28 is pivotally supportedupon an actuator slide 31 by means of a pin 32, and a spring 33 disposed between projections carried by the slide 31 and the arm 28, respectively. tends to maintain the actuator head awa from the knock-off lever 2. The

the tail 13 actuator slide 31 is adapted to move vertically upon the rod 26 and is provided on its outer facewith a series of teeth 34. The slide 31 is limited in its downward movement on the rod 26 by means of a stop 35, that is capableof adjustment for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully described.

the loom the pawls 20 and 37 are held out of engagement with the teeth .34'by means of a stop lever 39 that is provided at its lower end with a projection 40 extending across the faces of the palwls. The stop lever 39 is pivotally mounted on the stud 22 and is connected at its upper end to ashaft 41 by means of a link 42. The shaft 41 extends acrossthe breast beam 1 substantially parallel to the shaft 18 and is connected at its end'to a pawl stop arm 43 bymeans of a link 44. The stop arm 43 extends in the direction of the lay and is supported at its free end in a. notch 45 provided at the end of an arm 46 carried by the detector slide't, as best shown Fig. 1. The pivot pin 47 which connects the stop arm 43 to the link 44 p1'ojects beyond the link 44 and is normally located in a notch 48 provided at one end of a latch lever 49. As best shown in Figs. 1. and 5 the latch lever 49 is pivotally supported by a stud 50 on abracket 51 carried by'the breast beam 1 and is normall Y held against the pin 47 by meansof a spring The spring 52 also tends to hold the other end of the latch lever 49 in engage-' ment with the arm 46, the end of the lever being bevelled, as shown at 53, for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

During the normal operation of the loom the free end ofthe stop arm 43 is inrtheline' of motion of a hunter '54 carried at the end ofthe weft hammer 3,'so that each forward stroke of the weft hammer moves the stop arm 43 away from the lay, thus maintaining the pin 47 in the notch 48 of the latch lever 49. The springs 36 and 38 acting through the stop lever 39 and the shaft 41 tend to force the stop arm 43 in the direction of the lay, but as long as the pin 47 remains in the notch. 48 this movement is prevented. The parts remain in the above described positions'so long as the detector fork 5 does not indicate any filling absence in the bobbin.

Having described the various parts entering into my invention the operation thereof is as follows :-A ssume that the lay has completed itsdetecting beat and that the detector fork 5 has been turned about its pivot out of engagement with the barb 12of the weft hammer by its engagement with the filling. The parts then occupy the positions shown in Fig. 5, in which, the stop arm 43 has just been struck by the hunter 54 of the weft hammer and the pin 47 is in the notch a8, thus maintaining the pawls-out of engagement with the teeth 3-1 of the actuator slide 31.

Assume that on the next detecting beat of the lay the filling fork 5 encounters no filling and consequently remains in the line of motion of the barb 12. On the next forward movement of the weft hammer 3, the barb 12 engages the tail 13 of the detector fork and carries the slide 6 forwardto turn the rocker shaft 4: and. actuate the filling replenishing mechanism. As the slide 6 moves forward the arm'4r6 engages the bevelled end 53 of the latch lever 19 and moves it in a clockwise direction about its pivot to the position shown in Fig. 6, whereupon the pin i7 is free to move toward the lay and thereby permit movement of the pawls toward the teeth 34. At the same time a cam portion 55 provided on the stop arm 43 is engaged by the bottom of the notch 45 and the stop arm 43 is lifted upwardly out of the path of motion of the weft hammer 3, as shown in Fig. 8, thus permitting the pin t? to remain on the upper side of the notch 43. At substantially the same time as the pawl 37 engages the base of the topmost tooth 34, the sliding pawl 20 is moved downwardly by the forward movement of the detector slide 6, until the tip of the pawl 20 engages the edge of the topmost tooth. The pawl 20 lifts the actuator slide 31 until the pawl 37 engages the topmost tooth upon the forward movement of the detector slide 6,

as shown in dotted lines, from which it will be noted that the movement of the knock-off arm let toward the knock-off lever is not sufficient to actuate the lever.

Assuming that a second filling absence is indicated by the detector fork 5, the stop arm L3 will be lifted out of the path of movement of the weft hammer by the engagement of its cam portion 55, with the bottom of the notch 15 in the arm a6, upon the forward movement of the slide 6. The pin at? then remains on the upper side of the notch l8 and the stop lever 39 permits the pawls to again engage the actuator slide 31 and move it upward a distance equal to the pitch of one tooth, as shownin Fig. 9.

Upon the detection of'a third successive filling absence the pawl 20 will again lift the actuator slide, as shown in Fig. 10.

Upon the detection of a fourth successive filling absence, the pawl 20 will move the slide 31 upwardly until the pawl 37 engages the lowest tooth and at the same time the actuator head 15 will be moved upwardly into the line of motion between the knockoif arm 14 and the'knock-oif lever 2, as

shown in Fig. 11. The knock-off arm 14 will then engage the actuator head 15 as the rocker shaftd is turned by the detector parts it is apparent that if the detector fork 5 failsto indicate filling absence after the insertion of two or even three new fillings in the shuttle by the action of the weft replenishing mechanism the slide 6 will not be moved. and its arm 46 will allow the stop arm 43 to remain in the path of the approaching weft hammer, whereupon the weft hammer 3 will engage the stop arm 43 and return the pawlsand the actuator to their normal position, as shown in Fig. 7, and the loom will continue to operate, as before. Consequently the knock-off lever will be actuated to stop the loom only upon the occurrence of four successive filling absences with the parts in the position shown 1n Fig. 2. If, however, it should be desired to stop the loom upon the occurrence of only three, two or even one filling absence it is only necessary to loosen the bolt securing the stop 35 tothe rod 26 and move it upwardly a distance equal to one, two

or three times thepitchof the teeth 34;.

The stop 35 will then limit the downward movement of the slide 31 to such an extent that any oneof the first three teeth 34 may be permanently held out of engagement by the pawl 20. In this way, the 100m can be caused to stop uponthe occurrence of any predetermined number of filling absences according to the number of teeth that may be engaged'by the pawls.

it is also apparent that the location of the moving parts of the knock-off lever actuator at the end of the loom and below the top of the breast beam greatly reduces the possibility of accidental operation of the actuator. Furthermore, the fact that the actuator slide and the actuator are normally held in an inoperative position'by the force of gravity further reduces the likelihood of premature operation. I

While we have shown a specific arrange ment of the well known parts of a loom our invention is not limited in its application to -looms of this type, but may as well be applied toany known type of loom, with such modifications 1n the arrangement of parts as I may be necessary. We desire therefore that only such limitations be imposed thereon that come within the scope of the appended claims.

:lVeclaim', i

1. In a loom, a filling detector, a slide adapted to be moved upon the detection of 2. In a loom, a filling detector, a slide.

adapted to be moved upon the detection of filling; absence, a knock-off lever a knock-oft lever arm and a knock-oilelever actuator normally independentof the movements of said arm and adapted to be lifted .into an operative position .ivit-h respect to saidlcnockoff leveriandsaid arm by the movements of said slide, the saidlactuator being normally held in Lits inoperative position-byithe. .force of gravity. i

3. In a :loom, filling ;I G] )l6l1lSl11I1g mechanisin, a filling :detector, a detector slide adapted to ,be ,moved upon. the detection of filling absence to actuate the filling replenishing mechanism, a knockofi lever, a

knock-oil (lever .arm adapted to move in the direction of said lever sin'iultanecusly with the actuation of the filling replenishing mechanism, and a knock-01f lever actuator adapted to he lifted step-by-step into the path oi'motion of said arm to actuate said lever upon theadetection. of the fourth successive filling absence. 7

4. Ina loom, filling replenishing-mechanism, a filling qdetector, a detector :slide adapted to be moved upon the detection of filling absence to actuate the fillingreplenishing mechanism, a knock-oil lever, a knock-oil lever armadapted to move .in'the direction of said lever simultaneously with the actuation of the filling replenishing mechanism, and a. knock-off :lever actuator normally independent :of the movements of said armand adapted ;to be lifted into the path ofimotion ofsalidarm, the said actuator being normally held out of the path of motionoi' said arm by the :force ofgravity.

5. In a loom, filling replenishing mechanism, a filling detector, a detector slide adapted to he moved upon :the detection of filling absence to actuate the filling replenishing mechanism, aknock-'oflt'jlever, a knock-01f lever arm adapted 1301111OY8 in :the direction of said lever simultaneously awith the actuation oi the filling replenishing mechanism, and a knock-off lever actuator normallyindependent of the movements of said arm andadapteditmbe lifteda predetermined distance im the. direction .of the path ofmotion lot said :arm, upon each detection of filling absence and :to be returned to its inoperative position by the forceof gravity upon the detection of filling presence.

6. In a loom, filling replenishing-mechanism, a filling detector, a detector slide adapted to be moved upon the detection of filling absence to actuate the filling replenishing mechanism, a knock-oil lever, a

knock-soft levcrarm adapted to move in th mechanism, and a iknock-iofl lever iactuator adapted gtobe lifted into the pafihigf motion oitsaidwarmby a step-.by-step movement, to

actuate said lever upon the detection .iof

several successive filling absences and to be returned to its inoperative position by the force of gravity 1113011111118 ,detectioncf fil ing presence.

.7. In a loom, nism, a filling detector, a detector slide adaptedto be moved uponthe detection of filling absence to actuate the filling replenishing mechanism, a knock-oil lever, a knock-oil lever arm adapted to :move in the direction of saidlever simultaneously with the actuation of said fillingreplenishing mechanism, and a knock-oil lever actuator adapted to he lifted s,t,ep-b v-step into the pathoflmovenient otsaidarm toactuate said lever upon the detection of several. successive filling absences.

,8. In a loom, filling replenishing mechanism, a filling detector, a detector slide adapted to be :moved upon the-.detection of filling absence to actuate the filling -1-eplenishing mechanism, a TkIlOClL-Olf lover, a knock-off lever iarm adapted 'to unove in the direction :of said lever simultaneouslyawith the actuation of said filling replenishing mechanism, andia knock-oil lever actuator adapted to be lifted gstep-ihy-step :into the path oflmovement of said arm to actuate said lever upon the detection ota iu'edctermined number-of slilling; absences.

9. In a gloom, filling replenishment mechanism, a filling detector, a detector slide 'adaptedrto he moved :upon the detection of filling absence to actuate the filling rcplenishment mechanism, ,a knock-ofi' lever, a knock-off lever armiadaptcdto move in .the direction of said leversimultaneously with the actuation of said filling replenishment mechanism, and a knock-cit lever actuator adapted to be lifted step-bystep into the path;of.move1nent oiisaidiarm to actuate, said lever upon the detection Of-01181013111101? fillingiabsences, the number ofrsuch absencesbeingdetermined'hythe number of. steps which the said actuator is permitted to take.

10.. rln. a loom, filling replenishing .mecha- 'nism, a filling IdQtQCtQX', .a detector slide adapted :to be moveduponthe detection of filling absence to actuate the filling replenishing n'iechanism. a knock-oil lever, a knock-off levenarm adapted :to move in the direction of said lever simultaneously with the actuation of the filling replenishing mechanism, and a knock-oft lever actuator adaptedto he lifted-into thepath of motion of said arm, by a :step-bystep movement, to acuate said lever upon the detection of sevfilling replenishing mechaerel successive filling absences and to be Dated this seventeenth day of May, 1919.

returned to its inoperative position by the RANDOLPH CROMPTON -force of gravity upon the detection of filling TILLIAM E VOODMAN' presence, the inoperative position of said actuator being adjustable to determine the W itnesses:

number of vsteps required to move it into NELLIE VI-IALEN,

the path of movement of said arm. PENELOPE COMBERBAGH. 

